Plural lamp-socket.



11.3. BENJAMIN. PLUBAL LAMP SOCKET, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2'), 1907 Patented Oct. 18,1910;

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Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO,

are FFIQ ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC PLURAL LAMP-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Application filed March 27, 1907. Serial No. 364,854

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plural Lamp-Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in plural lamp sockets, the object of the inven tion being the provision of a device of this class which, while simple and economical in construction is yet eflicient, durable and of pleasing appearance.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated several forms in which my invention may be embodied; Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the device with lamps in place therein; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section of a slightly modified form of the device showing the method of securing a lamp socket to the other parts of the device; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direct-ion indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing another inodification; Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, the section being taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a slightly different form of the device; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the inner contact plate, showing the means for securing asupply wire thereto; Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the method of securing one of the lamp sockets in place, the sect-ion being taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6; and Fig. 9 is a broken sectional view showing the method of attaching the center lamp-receiving socket when it is desired to have this socket so arranged that the center lamp may be lighted or extinguished independently of the other lamps.

In the several figures of the drawings, in whichlike reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts throughout, 10 is a circular back plate forming a base adapted to carry the other parts of the device and the lamps secured thereto. This plate 10 is provided with a screw-threaded neck 11 adapted to be secured to the end of a conduit through which the leading-in wires are brought.

This base plate is also provided with openings 10 for the reception of screws when it is desired to secure the device directly to a wall or ceiling. The plate 10 is formed with a downwardly-extending peripheral flange 12 to which is secured, by screws 12 or otherwise, the upper circular edge 13 of a metallic outer casing 14. WVithin the casing 14 is arranged a bowl-shaped shell 15 provided with a plurality of openings in each of which is secured an insulating base 16 for a lamp-socket 17. A second bowl-shaped shell 18 is arranged within the shell 15 and concentric therewith. Each of the shells 15 and 17 is provided with means for securing thereto the end of one of the leading-in wires, these wires being designated 19 and 19 Such means consist in the case of the shell 18 of a binding screw 20 inserted through a tongue 21, struck up from the metalof the shell 18. The means for securing the wire to the shell 15 consists of a binding screw 22 inserted through an inturned lip 23 formed on the upper edge of the shell 15.

The bases 16 for the various lamp-holding devices are secured in place by screws 24, forming the center contacts for engagement with the center terminals of the lamps. Each of the bases 16 is formed with a raised portion 25, the opening in the shell 15 being of proper size and form to receive the same. Means are provided whereby the bases 16 are prevented from rotating in the openings in the shell 15, this result being attained preferably by giving these openings a square or hexagonal form and giving the necks of the bases a corresponding form so as to fit the openings.

The socket shells 17 are provided with necks 26 which are inserted into the openings in the shell 15, electrical connection being thus made between the shell 15 and the sockets. If desired these necks 26 may be flanged over on the shell 15, as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and8, so as to form additional means for holding the parts together.

The shells 15 and 18 are not directly secured in any way to the base-plate 10 but are sustained in position by the outer casing 14. This is accomplished in the case of the device shown in Fig. 1 by providing insulating bushings 27 which are inserted through suitable openings in the casing 14 and screwed 011 to the threaded contact shells 17. It will be seen that when the parts are asof fiber or similar material.

ed into place,

sembled the shells 15 and 18, with the bases I 16 carried thereby and the lamp-engaging contacts associated therewith, are in a sense floating, being held in position merely by the casing 1 1.

In installing this device and making the electrical connections therewith, the plate 10 will first be removed from the device by taking out the small screws 12 This plate 10 will then be secured to the threaded end of a conduit by means of the threaded neck 11, or will be secured to a ceiling or wall by means of screws passing through the openings 10 The leading-in wires 19 and 19 will then be secured to the binding. screws 20 and 22, after which the casing 1 1, carrying the lamp sockets, conducting shells and other parts, will then be put into position with the outer edge 13 of the casing 14: passed over the downturned flange 12 of the plate 10. The screws 12 being then insertwill hold the parts of the device firmly secured together.

In the forms of the device shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6 the insulating bushings 27 are dispensed with and the casing 1.4: is provided with metallic sleeves 28 which are secured in the openings in this casing 14. The lamp-receiving shells 17 are supported and insulated from the sleeves 28 by rings 29 In some cases it is desirable that the device be so arranged that less than the whole number of lamps carried by such device may be lighted when less illumination is required. As shown in Fig. 9, the portion '25 of the base 16 of the center socket is then made to extend through the inner conducting-plate 15. This base is mechanically secured to the plate 15 by means of an insulating washer 30 'and nut 31 on the end of the bolt 24:, but is not electrically connected with the plate 15. The end of a third supply wire 32 may be secured between the nut 31 and another nut 33. With two of the three supply wires led to suitable switching means the center lamp only may be lighted, or all the lamps carried by the device may be lighted at the same time, or the center lamp may be extinguished and the others left burning, in a well-understood manner.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a plural lamp socket, a base-plate, a cover carried by said base-plate, a plurality of lamp receiving sockets extending through said cover and sustained thereby, a plurality of contact-plates within said cover and sustained by said lamp-receiving sockets, and lamp-terminal-engaging means associated with each of said sockets and electrically connected with said contact-plates.

2. In a device of the class described, an

outer casing, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets extending therethrough and sustained thereby, a pair of conducting plates arranged one within the other, the outer of said conducting plates being electrically connected with and interlocking with each 01 the lamp-receiving sockets, and a center contact for each of said sockets, said center contacts being electrically connected with the inner of said plates.

3. In a device of the class described, an outer cover, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets extending through said cover and sustained thereby, a plurality of plates located within said cover and sustained by said sockets, means for securing supply wires to each of said plates, electrical connection between one of said plates and the center terminal of each of said sockets, and electrical connection between the other of said plates and the outer terminals of said sockets.

4C. In a device of the class described, a I

base-plate, a cover supported by said baseplate, a pair of conducting plates located within said cover, said plates being without direct support on or connection-with said base-plates, lamp receiving sockets extendlng through said cover and sustained thereby and adapted to sustain said plates, contacts associated with the sockets, and electrical connection between said plates and said contacts.

5. In a device of the class described, a

base, a cover carried thereby, a plurality of sockets extending through said cover, insulating bushings separating said cover from said sockets and sustaining said sockets in the cover, and a plurality of conducting plates located within said cover and adapted to conduct current to-the contacts of said sockets, each of said sockets having an individual base of insulating material secured to both of said plates.

6. In a plural lamp socket, a base-plate, a housing secured around its edge to said baseplate, said housing having openings, lampreceiving sockets extending through said openings, a pair of bowl-shaped shells within said housing, each provided with means for connecting therewith a supply wire, said lamp-receiving sockets being secured to one of said bowl-shaped shells and electrically connected with the other of said shells, and adapted to sustain said shells in position.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base adapted to be secured to a suitable support, a cover carried by said base, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets extending through said cover and sustained thereby, a separate insulating base for each of said sockets, two conducting plates sustained by said bases, one of said plates having openings for the reception of said bases, and means for preventing the rotation of said bases in said openings.

8. In a device of the class described, a casing, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets having each its oWn insulating base, and a pair of plates adapted to conduct current to the terminals of said sockets, said plates be ing each supported by and secured to a plurality of said bases, said plates also serving to hold said sockets in proper position in said casing.

9. In a device of the class described, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets having each its own insulating base, a conducting plate having openings for the reception of said bases, said plate'being adapted to conduct current to each of said sockets, and a second plate supported by said bases and adapted to conduct current to the center terminals of each of said sockets, and a casing having openings, said plates serving to hold said sockets in position in said openings.

10. In a device of the class described, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets, an indi vidual insulating base for each of said sockets, a plate provided With openings for the reception of said bases, a second plate arranged Within said first-named plate and. supported by said bases, suitable lamp-engaging contacts associated with said sockets, and electrical connection between said plates and said contacts, said plates maintaining said sockets in proper relative positions.

11. In a device of the class described, a plurality of lamp-receiving sockets having individual bases, in combination With a plate adapted to conduct current to one of the terminals of each of said sockets, said plate being supported by a plurality of said bases, and spacing the same apart.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. IVitnesses:

M. F. FARRAR, C. L. HOPKINS. 

